ART

I chose my free day to go and search for art on Royal Street before going out on the town for the night with the girls. Especially because of the down pour that occurred the day before. In an earlier blog, I described how I decided to take this journey alone and went without my roommates. I looked on google and chose to go to Galarie Rue Royale. I downloaded UBER for the first time while being there with the help of my roommates. I was dropped off right on the corner and walked into the gallery. The gallery had a huge open floor plan with black walls to make the art pop and have definition. There is a man who introduces himself right away as the director of the gallery. His name was Bilal and he was an older African American man in a very well-tailored suit. 

He asked me what I am looking for and I tell him I have no idea as I just looked on google for galleries on Royal street and it recommended this gallery first. I explained to him for a humanities course, that I am a senior in nursing school, am here for my last upper gen ed and graduate in May. He asks me some more questions like where I am from and I can feel a slight flirtation coming from him. Like I mentioned in another blog, he mentioned that he was very willing to help me get a good grade and would walk me around himself, personally. I was extremely flattered. He even let me take pictures with the art right by the visible no pictures sign. I could not help but feel so fortunate while also breaking the rules. I ask him if he is sure that it is ok that I take pictures and replies “Baby, I am the director of this gallery and what I say goes.” He then begins to ask me more personal questions, for example do I have any children or a boyfriend. I tell him I do not have any children but I do have a boyfriend of ten years. He just smiles and states how that is his loss and that my boyfriend is a very lucky man and he allows me to start looking at art and tells me to choose carefully as to not fall in love with all the art. I was grateful that he was backing off as I noticed a very evident wedding ring on his finger. I wandered through the gallery looking at all the different paintings they had all while struggling to pick a favorite. I went back and forth and back on forth. I finally made my decision as I liked this artist’s collection as a whole the best. I loved the tones, the pops of color, the backgrounds, and the scenes. I enjoyed seeing the many different scenes with famous sites that I have visited in the background of the picture. For example,

The artist I chose goes by the name of Marc Clauzade. I know that we are supposed to pick out a local artist but in all fairness, I had no idea that Marc was not a local artist. A lot of his artwork was depicting New Orleans in the gallery and I fell in love with his style. Marc Clauzaude is a Paris born artist and France’s most prominent living artistic asset per his biography that Bilal gave me while also showing me a picture of him and Marc together and telling me about how him and Marc hang out with one another when he is in town. One of the most fabulous things I read about him was that both of his grandmothers were fashion designers for Chanel I believe Bilal told me. Designing for Chanel would have been an amazing job. I also found out that he has been a professional painter since his early 20’s and never sold a painting himself as he has always been represented professionally. Once I heard Marc’s story I was more even positive that this is the artist I wanted to choose to blog about. What a fabulous life he has lead by starting at such a young age. How exciting and wonderful it must have been to have two successful and fantastic grandparents and positive influences all around him. I could not imagine being that skilled at a craft that by the age of 20 I was already being represented professionally and having someone else do the selling and hustling for me while I sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labor. The artist speaks to me now more than he did without know his biography. Yes, his art was beautiful and noteworthy but by knowing his story, it helps me imagine what he was going through or seeing while making these beautiful works of art. I could imagine him sitting with his grandparents in New Orleans for vacation and absorbing the sites for his next piece of work. I am sure he was analyzing lines, colors and architecture as he sat somewhere debating on if he wanted to paint it or not or committing the details to memory. As I was staring at the artwork, Bilal would tell me how much some of the artist’s work was going for as he is a salesman at heart “You see that one,” he would say to me and I would say yes, “That is for sale for $54,000 dollars and that one is $82,000” and my jaw would drop with pure shock. I cannot imagine spending that much money for artwork. Not saying there is anything wrong with that, just at this point in my life I could not wrap my head around a figure that high for a canvas. I hope that at one point in life I can be as successful and prosperous in life. He is an inspiration to do what you are good at and what makes you happy.

Farewell to New Orleans 

Today is our last day in New Orleans and I am so sad. I wake up early to get showered and have some quiet time. I packed last night and set aside my outfit for the day and something comfy for the train. I cannot believe I am doing last minute checks and finishing packing as I feel like I just got here. I was not sure how cold it was supposed to be but read that it was supposed to warm up during the day today. I grab our last free meal of breakfast sausage and a banana. From the hotel, we met for the last time at Café Du Monde. It was a chilly morning as I still needed my jacket, scarf and gloves. I step out of the cab and immediately hear the song “You are my sunshine” being sang by an older African American and think how true about my new-found relationship with New Orleans. I run inside to get a final trio of beignets and hot chocolate. I just need one beignets as they are filling. I must wait to drink the hot chocolate as it is piping hot. I open the small white bag holding the three fried treats that are swimming in powdered sugar. I take a bite into the crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside delicatessen that rewards me with a pile of powdered sugar in my scarf. As we are meeting, I immediately think about how this will be the last time we meet as a group in the French Quarter. We are assigned to pick our favorite place in New Orleans and we have three hours left until we must be back to leave from the hotel. I immediately think of what place is my favorite and it must be the first magical place we saw when we took the street car here which is the Jackson Square. I had never been anywhere like the Jackson Square. Tall lush trees are what seems like prisoners in this black fenced in square. On the outside of the fence, the live music by various bands, local artists selling one of a kind pieces, hula-hoop performers, magicians, psychics, fortune tellers and palm readers all in one square is like no other place I have been. We take off to enjoy our last trip around the square and I sip my hot chocolate. The sun is peaking through the tall trees. 

There are artists setting up and shops opening. We can hear a lone trumpet player warming up and the crows or something similar cawing. We go to take some pictures of our favorite place. I got one saying good bye to one of my favorite places I have ever visited right in front of gates with Andrew Jackson in the background. We take a group picture in front of the cathedral and a single picture in front of the cathedral.  

We took the rest of the time walking aimlessly for the last time.

I plan on coming back even though the circumstances will be different and I more than likely will not be a student. I will probably come on vacation with my boyfriend or family. I will tell people all about my trip and tell them this is a city like no other. Time stops in New Orleans. People are nicer and while its busy, it isn’t intolerably busy like some cities. My favorite part of the class was obviously the free day but, two of the tours were just outstanding. The pharmacy museum and the three-hour tour were wonderful. The tour guides were insightful and witty. We learned an enormous amount of information in a very small time. Some of the things that stick out to me from the pharmacy museum were the razors or blades that were used to make people “bleed out bad toxins until the post of passing out” or that opium and alcohol were in like everything back then even medications for babies. I know that there weren't regulated and things were not known as far as dependency, withdrawal and side affects and that is scary. He made a good point that we do not even know what some of the medicines we use today can cause in the long run. I sincerely enjoyed the tour guides humor at the pharmacy museum and it made me remember a lot more of the information he shared. In regards to the three-hour tour “Hey Baaaaby” is something that will stick with me forever. I thought it was so sweet when I heard him say it in the cemetery to his family member who was also a tour guide. He had so much history running through him and was more than willing to share. Another fun fact was when he told us about the canal and how the building behind him that was over 200 feet could fit there. My favorite part of the trip was going somewhere I have always wanted to go. I have always heard how magical New Orleans was and am so glad I was able to visit at this time in my life. Right now, I do not have nearly the amount of responsibility I will have later. I am not married, do not have any kids and my career is in the works so this was the most perfect time to come. This truly was an adventure of a lifetime. I learned how pleasant, helpful and resilient the people of New Orleans can be. I felt like I never met a stranger on my trip. Everyone was very nice and welcoming. If I had a question people were very accommodating and willing to help me. I thought it was amazing to hear how much the New Orleans community has been through and how they still are such a strong and powerful place. I learned that I can survive this trip with basically strangers. I met a great person who ended up being my partner in crime the entire trip and I am very thankful for her. I look back wondering why I was even worried and why I ever thought I would not have a good time. I am so glad that Val and I were talking about this trip in populations clinical and she told me there was one more spot left. I would not have wanted to do anything else on break before internship since I have made memories that will stay with me forever and guide my future travels. 

Three Hour Tour and Presbytere 

I woke up before the alarm and my roommates and quietly got up and got ready for the day. I felt well rested and was ready to take on our official whole last day. As I stated in my last post I have gotten bad blisters on my feet, like the size of half dollars and was concerned I would not make it today. I was preparing for the worst. Fortunately, this morning they do not feel nearly as bad as they felt last night. I waited patiently for my roommate who bravely volunteered to put the moleskin on the under and side of my foot that is hard to apply, to be ready. She gently puts the moleskin on the outside of both of my heels. I slowly slip my bandaged foot into my nike tennis shoe. Thankfully they are dry from the recent down pour that we had the pleasure of walking in. We UBER to Artillery Park which is right across from Jackson Square, to reduce the amount of walking before the three hour walking tour. We make it there earlier than 7:55am start time so we walk to Cafe Du Monde. My roommate generously offered to buy my coffee and beignets as I bought them the time before. It is much colder than I feel like it has been since we have been here or braved. It is sunny and that we will find is our only saving grace. We quickly return to our meeting spot to meet our tour guide. He is an older African American man who is wearing a Mardi Gras hat, a yellow sweatshirt and black pants. 

He immediately talks about how cold it is as we have heard from every local how cold it has been and how they do not know what to do with themselves. Our tour starts with a beautiful view of the river at Artillery Park and ends at Congo Square. 

I cannot even remember all the stops we made but each stop was as enthralling and encompassing. Our tour guide was quick with information and even dates. He was was mesmerizing with his recall of historical significance and his smile was contagious. He was also quite witty. 

From Congo Square which was amazing to put a picture to a place and to imagine the trading and birth of music, we went to lunch at Napoleon House which was suggested by Val and on the corner across from The Original Pierre Maspero's. It's charm hit you as you enter with the name in tile right before you walk in. The bar is the first thing you see when you walk in as it really is a statement. I order Seafood Gumbo and Caesar salad which was delicious.

From Napoleon House we go to our next stop of Presbytere which I had been looking forward to since I had heard what it was. The Presbytere housed the Katrina and Mardi Gras museum. When you walk in there is a beautiful glass bottled ceiling paying to those whom lost their lives and those that helped them. 

We slowly made our way through the museum soaking in as much as we could. There were tons of videos, photos and artifacts on both floors. 

There was always something to read or look at. After the Presbytere we had the afternoon to ourselves. 

Today was a successful day. I got to go on the three hour tour which was a huge concern for me but I toughed it out. I remember dreading get out of bed this morning as I was afraid of not being able to walk. It was a great feeling to be able to make it. Today had a lot of emotions. Excitement that I could make it on the tour turned into whole hearted interest with the three hour tour. I could not be more happy with the outcome of that tour. It was jam packed with information. Milton was truly one of a kind. I enjoyed making my way through the city with someone who had such a wealth of knowledge. I really enjoyed the cemetery and visiting Marie Laveau's grave.

It was great to hear of how she was a hair dresser and a voodoo priestess. I also enjoyed hearing how her and her daughters never corrected anyone who thought she was not aging even though her daughter were identical and also named Marie. I also immensely loved the break we took. It was an amazing visual aid to see how wide spread the flooding was and hearing his stories. 

I could not believe when he said he was from the ninth ward and there was water there for 2 months. I also could not believe his friends story of being stuck in the tree for 4 days before being rescued. Thinking of what the community of New Orleans dealt with in regard of Katrina is truly hard to wrap my head around. The thing that hit hard to the most was when I learned that the hospital had lost power and that they were assisting with bagging their ventilated patients after the pack up generators went out. I could not imagine this as I have had to help bag a patient for probably five minutes and my hands hurt and ached. You not only have to bag but you have to maintain a good seal. I also heard a real life testimonial of what people had to deal with at the super dome. I had heard some things but not that people were walking in urine and fecal matter. As if things could not get worse with inadequate food, water and electricity. I literally cannot fathom these types of conditions. From the Presbytere I went and got my tarot Cards read. 

I was nervous as I had never done that before but a fellow classmate went and said hers encounter was awesome. The reading went well for example I was told I was with my true love, my family is healthy, financially stable until it came to something that could happen in the next 6 months. The card read was for disappointment. I immediately thought of NCLEX and got a pit in my stomach. I will be taking my boards in June or July and she said that is when possible disappointment could happen. I tried my best to forget about that one negative part and tried to enjoy my last free afternoon.